The Scene
by WolfeShade
Summary: Last Knight from LaCroix's POV


The Scene  
  
I don't own any of these characters they belong to their respective creators. Apologies to any I might offend by giving LaCroix a smidgeon of emotion.  
  
He didn't know what to make of it. Now both of his precious children were dead and one by his own hand. Where had things gone wrong? How had Nicholas convinced him to slay his most beloved child? Love. As unfamiliar as that was to LaCroix, it was the truth. Over the past three years Nick's antics had somehow 'softened' him. Nick's words had touched him and his request had come too quickly after for him to be prepared. For the first time in ages, LaCroix felt the blood on his hands and wondered at the life he had chosen.  
  
"To live or die General, what is your choice?" Divia's words rang in his ears as his world came crashing down around him. "To live Divia, to live!" he had replied, not knowing the cost.  
  
Soon after he would kill his maker, or so he had thought. Divia's true death, at the hands of his favourite no less, had opened something in him long closed and sealed away. Before that had been the reminder of his unexplainable love for Nick's own sister, Fleur. The loss of Janette, to mortality no less, had also stung him deeply, though she was not his favourite, she had held a special place with him. All this ran through his mind in the moments just after he'd taken Nick's life. Shaking off these unfamiliar thoughts, he set about 'cleaning up' the mess Nick always left behind him. A brief smile crossed his lips, memories of when Nick had first come to him and had been willing.  
  
"Truly, we can fly?" the youngling vampire called Nicholas asked eagerly. "As if birds," his master LaCroix smiled at Nicholas as only he could smile. "It's wonderful, mon cher," the beautiful Janette, the one LaCroix had done this for, added with a kiss to Nicholas' cheek. LaCroix smiled on as his children gave into their lust once again. He left the room allowing them their privacy, if physical only, and decided to give into his own lust. The lust that gripped him though was the lust for the hunt and the blood afterwards. Nick's transformation had required much blood from him and it needed replenishing. Having scouted the area already, he knew where to head and who would not be missed and wasted no time getting there. He feasted quickly though, eager to return to his new child. When he returned, Nick and Janette were sleeping soundly as he felt the first rays of the sun rise. Challenging, albeit foolishly, the sun's rays he left his own room's curtains open for a few brief moments before finally closing them. He felt like a god this day, having created another in his own image.  
  
LaCroix's thoughts passed over the next few months of Nick's vampire life, it being filled mostly with training. How he had gloried in his new one. Janette gloried too in the 'present' LaCroix had given her. They had been a family then, with no nonsense thoughts of giving it up plaguing one of their number. No, Nick had no regrets the first years of his transformation.  
  
"I see you've found yourself quite a few 'lovers' Nicholas. Does Janette know of your harem?" LaCroix asked of him with a grin. "Yes, just as I know of her 'courtiers'. Like you say, LaCroix, they are just cattle and therefore we have nothing to be jealous of," Nick replied with a grin almost matching his maker's. "Ah, jealousy, a demon even we vampires may fall victim to on occasion. Beware not to let that emotion put its claws into you Nicholas, it can be more devastating than you can imagine," he advised his son.  
  
A lesson Nick had not taken to heart unfortunately and had led to a squabble between his children he'd had to resolve. LaCroix had taken no pleasure in punishing both of them, though he knew it to be necessary. Janette had been indignant but Nicholas had accepted it all too willingly. He should have seen that for a sign of what was to come, but he'd had too much pride in his creation that it would follow in his steps.  
  
All three were attending a party at court. Janette required the high society lifestyle and LaCroix had no problem with that. Nick was not used to this high of society, but his looks made up for his lack of social knowledge. LaCroix kept a firm eye on Janette, making sure that the green eyed monster of jealousy did not take hold. She was not affected by the women that fawned on Nicholas, knowing full well she was the one he would always come to in the end. He also watched Nicholas, but again his pride clouded his mind and he did not see the looks that would come over Nicholas' face when he saw Janette with another. Leaving his children to their own devices for a time, he found a pretty girl to amuse him. Her blood had been very sweet, he remembered. After that he found yet another, a more mature woman this time, and took longer in satiating his thirst. It was a combination of how sweet the blood seemed to be in that room that night and his lingering delight in having a new creation to mould that kept him occupied longer than he expected. It wasn't until he heard the cry from Janette in his mind that he began to worry. Making his way quickly through the crowd, LaCroix came upon a slightly distressed and highly annoyed Janette. "He's gone onto the roof with two of them," Janette explained partially, but enough for LaCroix to guess as to the reason. "Nicholas, I'm disappointed in you," LaCroix chided as he landed on the roof where Nicholas held two men up by their throats. "Why?" he growled back and faced LaCroix. "I told you not to let jealousy get a hold of you and yet here you are," he said but partially upset he hadn't sensed this before it became a problem. "She's mine!" Nicholas had hissed at him, in his full vampire glory. "She is her own woman Nicholas, you should now that by now. Wasn't it just the other day you told me that you both had others?" he asked. "I don't let mine linger on," he answered, his voice filled with jealousy, "I take what I want quickly and am done with them. She has let these two keep her interest for far too long." "Too long for whom?" LaCroix questioned as he moved closer. "For me. She is mine and no one else's!" he growled at LaCroix again then threw the man in his left hand over the side of the three story building and brought the other one in front of him, the man's neck bared. LaCroix raised his eyebrow and looked over the side of the building at the man's body. He smiled to see Janette quickly appear and get rid of the body before anyone noticed. A frown replaced that smile as he turned back to his misbehaving son. "Do you feel better now? Your reckless behaviour is dangerous," he scowled and sensed the fear spark and grow in Nicholas. In defiance, Nick ripped the throat of the man's neck open and drank until the man was dead. Dropping him, Nicholas flew off and LaCroix gave pursuit. They landed outside a smaller mansion and Nicholas broke open the door and strode in. He knew that LaCroix followed, but his jealousy would not be denied. The hunger for blood took over, and he set about the place like a madman. This was where Janette liked to house her 'lovers' he knew. LaCroix decided to remain outside and let Nicholas vent his anger. Janette joined him and begged him to save her men, but he did not as part of her punishment. She played coy, like she was wont to do, but he knew that Janette had purposely provoked Nicholas but had not realized, and still did not realize, the extent of Nicholas' feelings for her. After a seemingly long time, Nicholas reappeared from the mansion. Blood stained the front of his shirt and his skin glowed with the blood he had gorged himself on. Janette glared at him and instantly flew off. Nicholas looked to LaCroix, and now looking closely, LaCroix saw regret and guilt flash in his eyes. LaCroix's anger exploded. Lashing out with both his mind and his physical strength, he managed to grab Nicholas by the shoulder and head and sank his teeth into his child's neck and drained from him all he'd taken in that house. Throwing him to the ground he said, "The sun rises soon and you shall take shelter in the very building you desecrated this night with your jealous rage," and flew off disgusted. The next night Nicholas returned to their home meekly and in silence they left Paris, Janette blaming it on Nicholas and taking it as further punishment. LaCroix did not think further on that day that Nicholas had spent in that house with the dozens he had killed and Nicholas soon returned to his normal ways.  
  
Looking back, LaCroix wondered that if faced with all the dead around him, the seeds of Nicholas' hunt for humanity had not been planted there even if they would not emerge until centuries later. Now, he could only guess as he watched the flames claim his favourite son. A single tear escaped his eye.  
  
The End. 


End file.
